Category
Buying guides
17 articles in this category. Browse the full Almanac →
Buying guides
Catan vs. Ticket to Ride: Which Gateway Game Is Right for You?
Both are 1990s/2000s gateway classics. They share an audience but solve different game-night problems.
Buying guides
Catan vs. 7 Wonders: Drafting vs. Trading
7 Wonders is what you reach for when Catan feels too long. Here is when the swap works and when it does not.
Buying guides
Catan vs. Azul: Negotiation vs. Pure Mechanism
Azul replaces everything social about Catan with a pristine puzzle. Whether that's an upgrade depends on the table.
Buying guides
Catan vs. Power Grid: When You Want More Economic Punishment
Power Grid is what experienced Catan players reach for when Catan starts feeling too forgiving.
Buying guides
Catan vs. Pandemic: Competition vs. Cooperation
Catan ends with a winner. Pandemic ends with everyone winning or losing together. The difference goes deeper than that.
Buying guides
Catan vs. Puerto Rico: When You Want Harder Strategy
Puerto Rico replaces Catan's dice variance with pure planning. It rewards a different kind of player.
Buying guides
Catan vs. Dominion: Tableau vs. Trade
Both games reward engine-building. Dominion does it through your deck; Catan does it through the board.
Buying guides
Catan vs. Everdell: Resource Economy in Two Different Worlds
Everdell looks like a children's game and plays like a hard one. It and Catan share an audience for non-obvious reasons.
Buying guides
Catan Deluxe Editions Compared: 3D, Anniversary, and Premium Reprints
The deluxe Catan market is more confusing than it should be. Anniversary, 3D, premium, collector — each means something different.
Buying guides
Catan Organizer Trays Compared: Folded Space vs. Broken Token vs. DIY
A good organiser cuts five minutes off every setup. The wrong one breaks your hex tiles. Here is what to buy.
Buying guides
Top 10 Best Catan Expansions Ranked (2026 Edition)
Eight major expansions, dozens of scenarios, and a steady stream of reprints. Here's how the Catan expansion line actually ranks for replay value, depth, and table presence.
Buying guides
Cities & Knights vs Seafarers: Which Catan Expansion Should You Buy First?
If you're buying your first Catan expansion, it's almost certainly between these two. The honest answer depends entirely on your group.
Buying guides
Catan Accessories Worth Buying (and Eight That Aren't)
A real guide to Catan accessories. Some upgrades are worth their price tag — most aren't. Here's the honest list.
Buying guides
Catan vs Carcassonne: Which Gateway Game Wins in 2026?
Catan and Carcassonne are the two great gateway games. They share a shelf, a generation of fans, and almost nothing else mechanically.
Buying guides
Catan vs Wingspan: Which Engine-Builder Should You Buy in 2026?
Wingspan is the modern board-game darling. Catan is the established king. They aren't actually competing — but you only have one Saturday night.
Buying guides
Catan vs Risk: Two Generations of Territorial Games Compared
Both games are about territory. One takes 90 minutes, the other takes four hours. The difference is design philosophy — and it explains why Catan won.
Buying guides
Catan vs Monopoly: Why One Aged Well and the Other Didn't
Both are household names. One is the gateway to a hobby; the other is what you play when nothing else is available. The design difference explains everything.